Jane Doe: Ties That Bind (2007) Lea Thompson, Joe Penny, William R. Moses, Jessy Schram Movie Review

Jane Doe: Ties That Bind (2007)   3/53/53/53/53/5


William R. Moses and Lea Thompson in Jane Doe: Ties That Bind (2007)

Wanting it in Triplicate

CEO Everett Myers (Robert Carradine - Monte Walsh) has just been chewed out by the companies CFO over some suspicious financial dealings, informing him that he has no choice but to call an extraordinary board meeting to inform them of what he has discovered. Having stormed out of the office, Everett returns later and in full view of the CCTV cameras shoots the CFO. It is why initially Jane Doe (Lea Thompson - Come Away Home) is bemused as to why Frank Darnell (Joe Penny - Two Against Time) would call her in to work on this seemingly clear cut case except it seems that Everett was dining with the Mayor at the time and couldn't have been in two places at the same time.

I believe "Jane Doe: Ties That Bind" is the 7th movie in the "Jane Doe" series of made for TV mystery movies and as with many a made for TV movie series this one feels like at some point it found its groove but then went in to auto pilot mode. As such what we get in "Jane Doe: Ties That Bind" is some domestic stuff which in this case is a subplot surrounding Jane's daughter and then we have the mystery of how a man can seemingly be in two places at the same time to pull of a crime, not once but twice. Of course those accustomed to the thinking which goes on in mystery TV movies should be able to come up with the ridiculous explanation long before it is given.

But the problem with "Jane Doe: Ties That Bind" is not just the contrived nature of the explanation as to how it can seem a man can be in two places at the same time, it is also the fact that it does the same thing not only seen in other Jane Doe movies but also so many other TV movies. I will give one example although there are many; Jane puts herself in danger when she doesn't wait for back up to arrive. In some sense these predictable elements ground the movie for the appropriate audience but when it feels like Jane ends up doing what she has done in earlier movies it becomes a little too repetitive and is why it feels like "Jane Doe: Ties That Bind" is on auto pilot.

What this all boils down to is that "Jane Doe: Ties That Bind" is entertaining but only just for me because by 2007 this series of movies had fallen in to auto pilot mode. But for those who enjoy the lightness of made for TV mystery movies I am sure this one still works especially those who have followed Jane Doe from day one.

Tags: TV Mystery Movie Crime Solvers


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